Vistaril vs Xanax

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Anxiety is one of the most widespread diseases nowadays. Only in the United States, over one fifth of the adult population has been diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Moreover, the rate of growth is more than 5% a year.

Anxiety is a nervous system disorder that effects the patient’s routine greatly. People, who experience this disease, cannot lead a normal life, as they are constantly frightened and feel a lot of pressure. Anxiety and its symptoms must be treated immediately. The uncured anxiety might even lead to the fatal outcome.

The most widely prescribed medicine against anxiety is Xanax. However, many doctors have started to prescribe Vistaril recently. Is Vistaril like Xanax or these medications are completely different? If so, what is the difference? Can you take Xanax with Vistaril? The following article will provide the answers to all these questions.

Xanax vs. Vistaril: how they stack up

To begin with, both Xanax and Vistaril are designed to affect the central nervous system. Causing a good sedative and relaxing effect, these drugs reduce anxiety. But still, there is a slight difference between Xanax and Vistaril.

Alprazolam vs Hydroxyzine

Xanax is a trade name for Alprazolam, which is commonly used to treat a vast variety of nervous system disorders, including:

anxiety

panic attacks

depression

extreme stress

insomnia

tremors

Alprazolam produces an anxiolytic, sedative and anticonvulsant effect. This component is also known for its amnestic features.

Vistaril stands for a component called Hydroxyzine. Vistaril compared to Xanax has a wider spectrum of applications, for instance:

anxiety

histamine abundance

tension

allergic skin reactions

Hydroxyzine has a powerful anxiolytic and antipsychotic effect as well as anti-obsessive properties. It is also applied to reduce the negative impact of the general anaesthesia and to make it easier for the patient.

Vistaril vs. Xanax: Forms and Dosing

Pfizer, a manufacturer with the worldwide popularity, produces both Xanax and Vistaril. Pfizer is the leading drug producer that has gained trust among physicians and customers all over the world. Its medications are of high quality and have the competitive prices on the market.

Tablet forms

Xanax is issued in round and prolonged pills with of the following strengths:

25 mg

5 mg

1 mg

2 mg

The last three dosages have special divisions that allow doing more precise managing of the dosing. Each pill has the different colour, so that the tablets could be easily identified.

Vistaril is sold in special capsules containing the following amount of Hydroxyzine:

25 mg

50 mg

100 mg

Except for the 25mg dose, all capsules are white and green with the corresponding dosage marking on them.

Correct dosing

Xanax should be taken three times a day in equal amounts. The initial dose consists of 0.5 mg of Alprazolam and should be increased during the treatment. For reaching the best result, it is the minimum effective dose. If due to the dose increase some of the side effects occur, the amount of Alprazolam should be reduced at short notice. The maximum daily amount of Xanax is 10 mg.

The recommended dose for anxiety treatment with Vistaril comprises 50-100 mg a day for adults and up to 50 mg for children under 6 years old. The same dosing applies for the patients dealing with general anaesthesia. The daily dosage has to be divided into several intakes. The dose for suffering from various allergies contains only 25mg of the drug.

Xanax vs Hydroxyzine: market price

If you are thinking what to purchase, Xanax or Vistaril, you might need to consider the prolong policies to make up the decision. The supply of 100 25 mg Vistaril pills costs $275 on average. The same amount of Xanax 0.25 mg pills costs slightly more than $300.

On the whole, Vistaril is cheaper than branded Xanax, but its effect has not been studied well. Furthermore, according to various studies, Xanax proves to be more effective for treating anxiety.

Side Effects

Allergic reactions

You should not take neither Xanax nor Vistaril, if you are allergic to their active components, Alprazolam and Hydroxyzine. In addition to that, do not take Xanax, if you have allergies to other benzodiazepines, like diazepam, oxazepam, chlordiazepoxide and clorazepate.

Physical and psychological dependence

Alprazolam is a habit-forming substance. Long treatment might cause addiction on both physical and psychological levels. For this reason, the drug withdrawal might be extremely hard for the patient and should be managed carefully. Unlike Xanax, Vistaril does not cause any addictions and is safe to take.

Warnings and Precautions

Xanax is contraindicated to patients with narrow-angle glaucoma. As both drugs can slow down the reactions, it is not recommended to operate heavy machinery. You should also avoid doing activities that require a lot of attention and concentration.

Do not crash the Xanax pills or open the Vistaril capsules. You should not take more drugs, if you have missed the intake. Remember to follow the doctor’s prescription.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Due to the dangerous effect on the foetus and mother, Xanax and Vistaril are contraindicated to pregnant women. They can only be prescribed, if other medications are ineffective and the benefits of such treatment outweigh the possible harm.

Breastfeeding women should also avoid these drugs as Alprazolam and Hydroxyzine are absorbed by the breast milk and can influence the child.

Drug interactions

Xanax should not be mixed with other benzodiazepines, itraconazole and ketoconazole. Vistaril has more than sixty dangerous interactions with other drugs. You should check out if the medicine you take can be combined with Alprazolam and Hydroxyzine.

Mixing Vistaril and Xanax

The question of taking Xanax with Vistaril has not been studied yet. Nevertheless, as both drugs affect central nervous system, mixing Vistaril and Xanax might be harmful to your health and cause undesirable adverse reactions.

Author: Dr. Andrew J. Olson

Dr. Andrew J. Olson is a PHD in psychiatry. He is also a psychiatrist consultant at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. He also serves as a Clinical Director of the Department of Psychiatry, at Royal Marsden Hospital, in London, UK.

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Anxiety is one of the most widespread diseases nowadays. Only in the United States, over one fifth of the adult population has been diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Moreover, the rate of growth is more than 5% a year. Anxiety is a nervous system disorder that effects the patient’s routine greatly. People, who experience this disease, cannot lead a normal life, as they are constantly frightened and feel a lot of pressure. Anxiety and its symptoms must be treated immediately. The uncured anxiety might even lead to the fatal outcome. The most widely prescribed medicine against anxiety is Xanax. However, many…